Nature's Candy - Make Your Own Dried Apples

Drying fruit is the most ancient food preservation technique because it occurred naturally.  Grapes, dates, and figs that fell from the tree or vine would dry in the hot sun. Early hunter-gatherers observed that these fallen fruit took on an edible form, and valued them for their stability as well as their concentrated sweetness.  Traditional dried fruit such as raisins, figs, dates, apricots and apples have been a staple of Mediterranean diets for millennia. This is due partly to their early cultivation in the Middle Eastern region known as the Fertile Crescent, made up by parts of modern Iraq, Iran and Syria, southwest Turkey and northern Egypt.

Interestingly, drying foods preserves more of the original nutrition than freezing or canning.  Dried fruits retain most of the nutritional value of fresh fruits.  In general, all dried fruits provide essential nutrients and an array of health protective bioactive ingredients, making them valuable tools to both increase diet quality and help reduce the risk of chronic disease.  In some ways dried fruits provide nutritional advantages over their fresh counterparts because they concentrate the nutrients, fiber, and natural sweeteners into a delicious, nutritious package I like to call "nature's candy".  Here are just some of the nutritional advantages of dried fruits:

• Very low sodium content.
• Significant source of dietary fiber and potassium--amongst all fruits, they are among the top 5 contributors of potassium and fiber.
• No added sugars. Drying removes some of the fruits' water and so concentrates their natural sugars--this is normalized by a smaller serving sizes so total sugar and energy values are similar between dried and fresh fruit. 
• Low on the Glycemic Index (GI)--a measure of how a food affects blood sugar levels (GI compares a food's blood sugar levels with eating white bread or straight glucose--over 70 is high, 56-69 is moderate, and 55 or below is low).  For instance dried apples have a GI of 29--the lowest of any of the traditional dried fruits.
• Dried fruit may promote healthy teeth and gums. Contrary to longstanding popular perception that dried fruits promote cavities, recent studies indicate that they may benefit oral health. Bioactive compounds found in dried fruit appear to have antimicrobial properties that inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

Dried apples are a particular treat in our home because they are delicious, good for you, easy to make, and very inexpensive if you get the apples on sale.  They can be virtually gree if you have an apple tree or know someone who does and is willing to share.  

Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists.  Apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits.  About 69 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, with China producing almost half of this total. The United States is the second-leading producer, with more than 6% of world production.  Interestingly, apples are members of the rose family, along with several other fruits such as apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, quinces, raspberries, and strawberries.  Preliminary research suggests that, with their high-level of antioxidants and fiber, apples may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.

Here's how to make your own dried apples: 

Materials/Equipment Needed 

• Apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• Citric Acid - use this to pre-treat the apples to keep them from getting brown as they dry, to kill potentially harmful bacteria, and to add a nice tartness (I buy my citric acid in bulk because it's so useful for things like making your own dishwasher detergent, aluminum-free baking powder, or glass cleaner)
• Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer - With this wonderful gadget you can peel, core, and slice an apple in just a few seconds versus a few minutes with a paring knife. 
• Electric Food Dehydrator - There are many varieties of these and they work well providing more uniform dehydration and protection from insects etc. compared to drying in the sun.

Instructions

Mix 2 Tbsp of citric acid and 2 quarts of water in a large bowl.  Peel, core, and thinly slice a dozen or so apples and place in the water to soak for at least 30 minutes.  Remove the apple slices from the water with a slotted spoon and arrange on the shelves of your food dehydrator (save the citric acid soak for the next batch).  Run the dehydrator until the fruit is dry (can't squeeze any liquid from it) but not brittle.  In my dehydrator the bottom shelf dries first because that's where the heater/fan is, so every couple of hours I rotate the bottom shelf to the top to even out the dehydration.  When the fruit is dry remove it from the dehydrator shelves and store it in a plastic bag.  

Replace the chips or other unhealthy snacks in your house with dried fruit.  They not only taste better than any of those bad snacks but you'll lose weight, feel better, and be healthier!  In fact, these dried apples are so good I suggest you hide them to serve a bit at a time or your family will eat ALL of them within a matter of minutes ;-).